''Good Souls Better Angels'' is the 14th studio album by American singer-songwriter

Lucinda Williams Lucinda Gayle Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums: '' Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and '' Happy Woman Blues'' (1980), in a traditional country and blues style ...

, released on April 24, 2020, by Highway 20 Records and

Thirty Tigers Thirty Tigers is an American entertainment company which offers music marketing, distribution, and management services to independent artists. It is based in Nashville. History The company was founded in 2002 by David Macias and Deb Markland ...

. Announced in February 2020, the album was preceded by the track "Man Without a Soul", a critique of

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

, which earned Williams a

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nomination for

Best American Roots Song The Grammy Award for Best American Roots Song is an award category at the annual Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the American Roots Music ...

. The album received widespread critical acclaim, and was nominated for the

Grammy Award for Best Americana Album The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...

Critical reception

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sums up critical consensus as an 8.1 out of 10, with 19 reviews. Joe Breen of ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'' gave the release five out of five stars, writing that it "punch swith a dark, almost biblical vengeance but also, importantly, balance vitriol with solace, hellfire with a hand in need" and praising its timely lyrics. In ''

American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...

'', Hal Horowitz gave the release 4.5 out of five stars, writing that it is arguably her most intense album, ending his review: "By the end of the hour, you'll be wiped out. This is a devastatingly in your face, take no prisoners presentation from Williams and her band that will leave most serious listeners shattered and perhaps shaking. Few albums connect with this much pure emotional fury, let alone those from artists well into their 60s." Dan Nailen of ''

Inlander The ''Inlander'' was a sternwheeler that worked on the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada, from 1910 until 1912. She was owned by the Prince Rupert and Skeena River Navigation Company which was a syndicate of Skeena River businessmen who p ...

'' writes that this album has Williams' most direct lyrics but suffers from several songs having the same tempo.

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desce ...

. All songs written by Tom Overby and Lucinda Williams, except where noted. #"You Can't Rule Me" (

Memphis Minnie Lizzie Douglas (June 3, 1897 – August 6, 1973), better known as Memphis Minnie, was a blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter whose recording career lasted for over three decades. She recorded around 200 songs, some of the best known being "Wh ...

adaptation from the original composition) – 4:02 #"Bad News Blues" – 4:37 #"Man Without a Soul" – 5:31 #"Big Black Train" – 5:28 #"Wakin' Up" (Williams) – 4:44 #"Pray the Devil Back to Hell" – 5:38 #"Shadows & Doubts" – 6:01 #"When the Way Gets Dark" – 3:27 #"Bone of Contention" (Williams) – 4:05 #"Down Past the Bottom" (Greg Garing) – 3:21 #"Big Rotator" – 5:20 #"Good Souls" – 7:35

Personnel

– acoustic and electric guitar, vocals,

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* Mark T. Jordan – organ on "Big Black Train" and "Shadows & Doubts" * Ray Kennedy – mixing, production * Brian Lucey – mastering * Stuart Mathis – guitar, violin *

Butch Norton Jonathan Hayes "Butch" Norton (born March 21, 1958) is an American drummer, percussionist and vocalist, best known for his work with the Los Angeles-based indie rock band Eels between 1996 and 2003. Since his departure from the group, he has gon ...

– drums, percussion * Tom Overby – production * David Sutton – bass guitar

Charts

References

External links

Press release from Highway 20 RecordsInterview with Williams
in ''

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